B.C. activating its provincial pandemic plan to deal with the novel coronavirus

British Columbia is activating its provincial pandemic plan to deal with the novel coronavirus.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the province is ready to use emergency powers to protect the population, health workers, and the health system's capacity to help patients with other problems.

Dix says the B.C. government is also preparing for how it will function if large numbers of public employees get sick.

The plan is to be ready to operate under an outbreak that lasts up to four months.

Premier John Horgan says a committee of deputy ministers will oversee B.C.'s COVID-19 response, and the province now has four labs that can test for the virus.